It is well known in the art that tubes or pipes (hereinafter tubes) constructed of metal are useful for a large variety of applications. In many instances, the ends of the tubes must be preformed for a particular application for which they are intended. Swaging operations to accomplish this preforming on the ends of tubes are well known. Typically, such swaging operations are accomplished manually, one piece at a time, by having a worker grip the tube and insert the end of it into a swaging tool, activate the swaging tool to accomplish the swaging and then upon release of the swaging tool from the end of the tube, the tube is manually extracted and deposited into a receptacle.
One of the major problems encountered in such manual swaging operations is that the tubes themselves are seldom if ever straight. Almost always, they have a bend, bow or are otherwise crooked. It is extremely important that when a tube is to have the end thereof swaged, that the end be perfectly in alignment with the swaging tool to accomplish the desired swaging operation. The worker who is manually accomplishing the swaging must therefore use his senses to accurately align the end of the tube with the swaging tool. Such often becomes very difficult.
During the performance of the swaging operation while the tool is in engagement with the end of the tube, the tube must be allowed to move longitudinally so that the swaging tool can function properly. In some instances, in the prior art, attempts have been made to use high speed forming or swaging of tubes. In such apparatus the tubes are firmly clamped in position during the entire performance of the swaging operations. Such continuous and firm clamping precludes longitudinal movement of the tube during the swaging operation, thus often resulting in a defective product.
There is therefore a need for an apparatus which will automatically feed the tubes from a holding receptacle or bin onto a conveyor apparatus which then moves the tubes into position at a swaging station and after the swaging operation occurs, automatically moves the swaged tubes to a receptacle for the finished swaged product. Such apparatus must position the ends of the tubes or pipes so that they are perfectly aligned with the swaging tool, then allow the swaging tool to perform its operation after which the tool is retracted from the end of the tube and the tube is released and allowed to be moved by the conveyor apparatus to the desired receptacle.